Cinema VinesOn Thursday, the action thriller I’m Game hit screens, featuring Dulquer Salmaan in the lead role. The film, directed by Nahas Hidhayath and produced by Wayfarer Films, follows businessman Dan John whose life changes after a hand transplant. Though it opened to mixed reviews, the movie has already outperformed Dulquer’s previous Malayalam release, King of Kotha, in worldwide gross.
By the end of its third day, I’m Game had collected ₹4.15 crore net in India on Saturday, according to the trade portal Sacnilk. With a 34.4% occupancy across 3,014 shows, the domestic net total reached ₹14.45 crore and the gross rose to ₹16.90 crore. Adding ₹13.75 crore from overseas markets, the film’s worldwide gross stood at ₹30.65 crore.
Saturday saw a 15.3% dip from Friday’s ₹4.90 crore, as the film’s occupancy fell to 37% over 3,145 screens. The opening day net of ₹5.40 crore was achieved with a 42.8% occupancy across 2,727 shows. The film’s performance was strongest in the Malayalam market, bringing in ₹2.65 crore, while Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu markets contributed only ₹5 lakh, ₹70 lakh, and ₹75 lakh respectively.
Despite the decline, I’m Game has already surpassed King of Kotha, which collected ₹11.50 crore net in India and ₹25.18 crore worldwide in its first three days. The new film’s total of ₹30.65 crore worldwide indicates a stronger opening, but it will need to maintain momentum over the weekend to secure a solid finish.
Released on September 3 after a postponed Onam launch, I’m Game faces competition from titles like Khalifa and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit. With a budget of ₹50 crore, the film’s early earnings suggest it could recover its costs, but the drop in collections raises questions about its long‑term viability.
